Improvement in stitching-gages for the blind



w'. H. RICHARDSON. Stitching-Gages for the Blind. No. 140,645, PatentedJuly 8J873.

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WILLIAM H. RICHARDSON, OF FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS.

IMPROVEMENT lN STITCHING-GAGES FOR THE BLIND.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,645, dated July 8, 1873 application filed May 5, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY RIoH- ARDSON, of Fort Smith, in the county of Sebastian and State of Arkansas, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Stitching-Gage for the Blind, of which the following is a specification:

Figure l is a front view of my improved stitching-gage. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the same.

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved stitching-gage for the blind, by means of which the blind will be enabled to learn to make harness, saddles, bridles, saddle-bags, &c., thus giving them the benefit of a trade which has hitherto been considered impracticable for those unable to see. The invention consists of an improved stitchinggage for the blind, formed of the bottom, the slotted front plate, the rear plate, the swiveled hand-nut, the screw, the platform, the stationary guide-bars, the detachable ratchet-bar, the slide, and the springpawl, constructed and operating in connection with each other, as hereinafter fully described, and whether the guard be used or not.

. with the lower edge of the slot in the front plate 0, and in the said plate B are formed two vertical slots, 1), to receive the buckle-bars,

to enable the work to be held firmly against the slot in the front plate 0. In the center of the bottom plate A is swiveled a handnut, D, through the screw-hole of which passes the screw E, the upper end of which is rigidly attached to the middle part of the platform F, upon the lower edge of which the work rests when stitching straight work. The platform F slides up and down along the inner side of the plate 0, and is kept in place by grooved flanges formed upon its ends, and which overlap the end edges of the said bets 0 at the distance of a seam from the ratchet-edge of the horizontal slot 0 The ends of the platform F are beveled off, as shown in Fig. 3, to let the ring or buckle set below the level of the leather. To the outer side of the front plate 0 is attached a horizontal bar, G, to prevent the gage from setting too deep in the jaws of the stitching-horse. To the outer side of the front plate 0 is detachably attached a ratchet-bar, H, which has as many teeth to the inch as the work should have stitches to the inch. The bar H may be replaced by a bar having more or fewer teeth to the inch, as may be desired. To the outer side of the plate 0, a little above the upper edge of the horizontal slot 0 is secured a bar, I. The upper edge of the bar I and the lower edge of the ratchet-bar H are beveled off upon their inner sides to receive the beveled flanges formed upon the ends of the slide J. To the slide J is attached a spring pawl, K, the engaging end of which passes in through a hole in the slide J, so as to come in contact with the teeth of the bar H. The spring-pawl K is attached to the slide J by means of a small screw, which screw also secures the guard L to said slide J. The guard L is made as shown in Fig. 1, and is designed to prevent overreaching in single needle stitching. When two needles are used the guard L should be detached.

For making saddle-bags, and doing other curved work, the gage should be made the full size of the bag.

Upon the outer side of the slide J, where the awl is to be inserted, is formed an inclined projection, M, against which the tapering forward end of the ferrule of the awl N strikes, and thus pushes the slide forward one tooth each time the awl is inserted. Upon the side of the ferrule of the awl N is formed a roughened place for the thumb of the operator to rest upon, so that the awl may always enter the work in the same position.

In using the. gage, when the work has been stitched the length of the slot 0 the work is moved forward until the awl strikes the other end of the slot 0 the slide J is moved up to it, and the gage is again ready for Work.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- An improved stitching-gage, formed of the bottom A, slotted front plate 0, rear plate 13, swiveled nut D screw E, platform F, stationary bar s G I, detachable ratchet-bar H, slide J M, and spring-pawl K, constructed and 0peratin g in connection with each other, substantially as herein shown and described.

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WILLIAM H. RICHARDSON.

esses H. S. STONE, (J. W. PIERCE. 

